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Boston Marathon announces elite fields

Reigning champions Geoffrey Mutai and Caroline Kilel will defend their titles at this year's Boston Marathon, but will be challenged by the fastest men’s and women’s fields ever assembled for this IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

With 31 contenders setting their personal best time in the past two years, including eight men under 2:07 and ten women under 2:24, the race set for 16 April, will prove highly competitive.

Last year, Mutai ran an unmatched 2:03:02 on Boston’s certified course, without the aid of pacesetters, and then followed that accomplishment with a course record win in New York City. Although the course is considered aided for World record recognition, Mutai is nonetheless the fastest marathoner in history, and the only man to ever set course records at Boston and New York in the same year.

Top contenders challenging Mutai include last year’s third place finisher and 2010 New York City champion Gebre Gebremariam, 2010 Boston champion Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, 2011 Amsterdam and Rotterdam winner Wilson Chebet, and 2011 Chicago second and third place finishers Wesley Korir and Bernard Kipyego.

Americans Antonio Vega and Jason Hartmann, Kenyans Frankline Chepkwony and Dickson Chumba, and Netherlander Michel Butter are also in the elite field.

On the women’s side, the historic race in Boston has been decided over the past four years by three seconds or less. Last year Caroline Kilel turned in another close race as she traded the lead with American Desiree Davila several times down the finishing stretch of Boylston Street. Kilel ultimately triumphed by two seconds over Davila for the 2:22:36 win, before collapsing in exhaustion.

Chasing Kilel are Kenyan teammates Sharon Cherop and Caroline Rotich. Cherop and Rotich ran with Kilel through the final miles last year in Boston before finishing third and fourth respectively. They eagerly await the rematch.

A strong Ethiopian contingent will also seek the crown. Last year’s New York City winner Firehiwot Dado and runner up Buzunesh Deba team up again and joining the pair is Aselefech Mergia, the Dubai winner and newly crowned 2:19:31 national record holder. Also in the mix will be the talented Mamitu Daska, who won Frankfurt last year, setting a new course record.

The Boston-New York and Kenyan-Ethiopian rivalries should prove exciting, but working to break up the leaders will be a top Russian team: Galina Bogomolova, Alevtina Biktimirova, Nadezdha Leonteva and 2010 Boston runner-up Tatyana Pushkareva will work together to return the coveted title to Russia.